★★★★★ 5
Caveats for the professional tracker
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
This is a most excellent resource, arguably the best single tracking book that exists (i would argue so, if i had to pick one! And i recommend this book often). However, if you are in a professional field where this legally matters (EIS or ESA decisions on wolverine/fisher/lynx, etc.), take heed: the authors’ methods of measuring tracks are confusing (i.e. - where is the line between substrate/mammal family to determine when claws or ‘posterior’ pads are or are not used in measuring tracks? ) Also, the claim that “an individual animal can show incredible variation in track size” (p.57) is very misleading… Foot size of an individual animal from birth to adult will obviously change, but will not change in a day for the same-aged individual animal regardless of whether it walks in mud or atop rock. The animal’s foot does not change in size, but its track might appear to. This perceived “change” could be easily avoided by using minimum outline measurements (which are not discussed in this book, but can be found in the work by J. Halfpenny and others). I understand their reasons, but please do not refer to this book for legally defensible measuring techniques of rare species!!!!
Also please disregard the negative reviewer who said “it’s a very Mythological Approach to how animals move and walk (jsopel),”- they clearly don’t know what that word means…
All in all a well-researched and fantastic book that comes from ample and legitimate experience. A great book and happy tracking!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2021
